ABSTRACT
The work of government entails producing services with the public more than delivering services to the public. In coproduction, government and the public both contribute to the production of public services, in effect partnering in the enterprise. This chapter explores the nature of the coproductive partnering. It focuses principally on developing an understanding of the phenomenon, including how coproduction is defined, what activities it encompasses, why it has achieved prominence recently, and what benefits and costs it may bring. Coproduction has drawn governmental attention, figuring prominently in Labour government reforms in the United Kingdom. Coproduction efforts can also be differentiated by the importance of the public's contributions. Postal codes can be effective, though, only if citizens and businesses make the effort to enter them on outgoing mail—in other words, only if they perform their part of a coproductive effort.
